pinterest is a little like modern google.
I was thinking about the main benefit of the modern google (beyond the basic utility of the search function) and its the chrome browser. as in, you don't even need to goto google to search google any more. you just type into your browser bar.
similarly with pinterest, we know what it promises, its simple enough that they don't need to sell it, if you're visually minded you get to create vision boards on your favorite topics. For people into that, its reinforcing both their values and aspirations. The key thing that makes it usable is that you don't have to goto pinterest to use it. Once you have the plugin or extension every image on every website can be instantly plucked and collected.
The lesson to extract, or the question to ask is - how might I get people to benefit from using my site, in the context most useful to them, without them having to think about, or come find my site?
similarly with pinterest, we know what it promises, its simple enough that they don't need to sell it, if you're visually minded you get to create vision boards on your favorite topics. For people into that, its reinforcing both their values and aspirations. The key thing that makes it usable is that you don't have to goto pinterest to use it. Once you have the plugin or extension every image on every website can be instantly plucked and collected.
The lesson to extract, or the question to ask is - how might I get people to benefit from using my site, in the context most useful to them, without them having to think about, or come find my site?